I had never met Tony Clement until
Saturday, Jan. 12, 2013. I will never forget his first words to me and
the group I was standing with across the street from his New Year’s
Levee in Parry Sound. As he walked up to us he said, looking at me
directly, “NDP, you’re the letter writing guy, I’m not going to speak to
you.” There was no hello, how are you or offer of a hand shake. A few
moments later he added “you are disrespectful.” As Parry Sound-Muskoka’s
federal member of Parliament who is the president of the Treasury Board
of Canada I believe any citizen meeting your federal MP for the first
time would expect better.
At this first meeting I didn’t know you needed permission to speak to
Tony Clement. Considering his first words to me, I don’t think
permission would have been granted. Speaking to him without permission
is considered to be an “interruption.” Apparently one isn’t allowed to
interrupt Tony when he speaks. This courtesy of not interrupting without
permission was not a respect afforded me when I spoke to him this
Saturday. In the various conversations that took place some had the
right to “interject” without being viewed as “interrupting.” This
interpretation wasn’t offered to me at that point in the so called “face
off.”
At one point I was deemed to have “interjected” by pointing out his
government’s anti-democratic, Bill C-45. At this point I was accused of
being “very disrespectful” and not participating in “civil discourse,”
according to Tony. He then added “you don’t deserve to govern.” In a
democracy, citizens decide whether I deserve to govern, certainly not
Tony Clement. Considering the history of the Harper government Tony
represents, I don’t find it out of character to hear such declaration
from Tony or his political comrades. The concepts of democracy seem to
elude them on many fronts.
I respectfully request Tony Clement apologize for his remarks on that
Saturday: “you are disrespectful,” “very disrespectful” and inferring I
was not participating in “civil discourse.” I expect an apology
forthwith.
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